Means for taking pictures in the third dimension



Jan. 6, 1942. A. T. LUER EI'AL 7 2,268,712

Filed Au 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 5 a can:

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14/946860 flown 64 L, #49400 1? Wax,

Attorney Don/r940 M Pa e),

Jan. 6,1942. A. 'r. LUER- EIAL 2,263,712

mews FOR TAKING nc'runms IN THE mum nnmnsxon Filed Aug. 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ilorney Jan. 6, 1942. A. T. LUER EFAL MEANS FOR TAKING PICTURES IN THE THI RD DIMENSION Filed Aug" 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W740 l/mmv Ahrmflh M2006. hbwab,

Jan. 6, 1942. A. T. LUER EI'AL MEANS FOR TAKING PICTURES IN THE THIRD DIMENSION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 22, 1939 4% @Ifiorney Jan. 6, 1942. A. T. LUER EIAL 2,268,712

MEANS FOR TAKING PICTURES IN THE THIRD DIMENSION Filed Aug. 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 jzvelzlons': flbaaer 7. 41/619, 2/ Don/n40 M Pele/e);

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Attorney oi a iilm without Patented Jan. ,6,

UNITED STATES 2,268,112 MEANS roa rams rrcruass m 'rirs 11m n DIMENSION .AlbertLLuenSouthPasadenmDonaldM-Piarry.

Howell.

Pasadena, and Waldo E. Calif.

said Perry,said

Warren Howell. and said 'Wshie E. Howell assignorstosaidLaes Application sum .22, i959, Serial No. 291,394

6 Claims. (oi. saas) This invention relates to photographic appara- .w; and pertains particularly to means for takin pictures in the third dimension.

paratus have been provided for taking pictures which in their final form willgive the illusion oi. depth, and will thus approximate the appearance of a photographic subject in threedimensions. These various cameras have for the most part been based on the theory that the eiIect' of third dimension as obtained by the eyes is caused due to the fact that the eyes are spaced apart and view an object from opposite side angles. The composite view made from the two aspects gives the effect of depth tothe scene being viewed. Photographically this eflect has been obtained in stereoscopic pictures where the separate views are observed simultaneously and individually, each eye seeing but one view. An attempt has been made to obtain this same result in motion pictures, although in this case the right and left pictures cannot be viewed simultaneously but are viewed consecutively by both eyes. and

the phenomena of persistence of vision is relied upon to produce the illusion 0! third dimension. In taking and preparing the him for creating that illusion special types of cameras have been used, for the most part having separate object lens sets, one being a right-hand lens set and the other being a left-hand lens set, and which lens sets are spaced apart sufliciently to give the effect of depth in the picture when it is subsequently projected on a screen, The apparatus required for producing a photographic negative having consecutive views aiternately in focus with the right and left hand lens sets, has for the most part embodied the use of reflectors and shutterswhich required rapid motion to controi'the direction of the light beams and which often produced suflicient vibration to cause an imperfect image to be photo- ;ggraphedwith a resulting unsatisfactory picture. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a camera for taking stereoscopic motion pictures which is provided with an operating and reflecting means simple in construction,

'. compact-in arrangement and rugged in desism.

whereby theiightbeam carryin the image of an object beingphotosraphed may be directed into the camera and on to consecutive irames vibration and in a manner 7 to produce?i 1 tures definition and ted upon a screen do produce the illusion of third dimension.

which when pro The present invention con inlstcs the l 5 m.aissview pects of an set. The means for directing the sion of a motion picture camera having the usual feed and shutter mechanisms and a lens set. and

which camera'is equipped with vibrating light Heretoiore, various types 01 photographic ap-v directing means acting in synchronism with the 5 shutter mechanism and directing alternate beams of light from a right and a left-hand lens set through an aperture on to successive frames of a motion picture film.

The invention is illustrated by way 0! examv1i) ple in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in-section' and side elevation indicating a motion plcturecamera of the type of which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation showing the light directing unit of the camera.

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation showing the ht directing unit with the case of the struc- Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section through the light directing mechanism indicating its operating parts as seen on the line t-ixoi Fig. 5.

80 Fig. 'Tis a view in diagram indicating the optical arrangement or the light directing means.

Fig. 8 is a diagramm tic view showing the method. of taking right and left-hand views of an object in pic showing a fragmentary portion of iilm taken in the camera with which the invention is concerned.

Referring more? particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, ll indicates a motion picture camera,

40 which includes an object lens set M, the usual shutter and iilm gate unit ll having suitable mm iced means ii, a driving sprocket il andi'ilm 1 magazines I! and II. It is to be understood that these various units are o! standard commercial design'and that their details a! construction are not pertinent to the present invention. The pres{ ent invention is more particularly concerned with V alight directingunit i1 whichisinterposedbetween-the obiectlens andtheimagetobe'photo- Attentionisdirectedtothetactthatintheprcsentinstanceonly'one-lenssetisusedandthat heamsot light cari'yinlrishtandieit-handasimase'are alternately directed to ture removed, ,the view} being taken on the line ment 2t, spececl therefrom and associated therewith by s horizohtel tie ember 2i.

The back plate is formed. adjacent to its up= per end with e light beam opening 22. Disposed in advance of this light beam opening is o light directing optical unit 223. This incluciee two op= ticol prisms 26 and 25 which will he described with more detail hereinafter. The unit is mount= ed upon an oscillating element 26 which heseri upper portion 27! to which the unit is connected, and a lower lever portion 28 by which the unit isoscillated. The member 26 is rotated at a, point intermediate to its ends upon e. horizorltel shsft is carried hi it Marine 88 which occurs at the upper end of the verticel frame elemerit to. A specihe bushing 3i is'disposed between the element 2t and the oscillating member The time of the horizontal shaft 29 is in eligrrment with the central axis of the lens set M. Thus, the optlcel unit 223 will oscillote around this exis es it scans the scene being photo= graphed. The optical unit 23 is particularly dis;- closed in Figs. and 7. Here it will be seen that the prism in vertical section is row. hovlng a front face which may here he termefi the end as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings is circulor in contour. The hose fcce is in. e single plane extending reorwerdly from the front face and disposed at e slight ihclinshon to the horicontel. A hypotenuse plene face 8 5 extends from the upper edge of the altitude face to the rear edge of the base face and provides a reflecting surface egeiust which the light rcys ere reflected. The prism 26 will hereinafter he desh'netm the scanning prism one the prim' it will be designated the reflecting prism. The reflecting prism 25 is triangular in shape and hes a light emitting face 8%, which is parallel to the light enterlulg face of of the scanning prism 261. The base face at of the reflecting prism 25 is parallel to the hose face 33 of the scanning prim 26 cool is spaced therefrom to provide on air gap 877 which sets to prevent direct 7e11,. m; on of light through the ims prism it to the reflecting prim 25. The reflecting face 38 of the prism 254s presented forwardly end receivwl the light beams bent downwardly by the reflectoltitude face 32 which is vertlcelly disposed transverse he eeesvio The oscillating operation is produced by the mechanism corriecl by the frame 08 and coinilrises c drive shaft 412 which is rotetehly supported in a bearing 53 oh the upright is of the frame end which extends through hearing opehihg oi the upright 29. This shaft comes o tremverse slot (it in its end face to receive o y 05 cerrleci upon the end of the eheft 518 of the shutter ll. The shutter l? is of usuel cemere construction and intermittently lritempts the boom of light passing from the lens his face so of the scanning prism, after which the beams pass through the lens set to to the. Photogrephlc film cc and through the lens stop Thus, as the prism set oscillates on the 03%? cal axis of the lens set 39 difl'elent aspects of the scene being photographed will be alternately directed from the scanning prism 24 to the reflecting prism 25 end then to the film. The distance between the two focal positions of the optical unit 23 will produce a condition agreeing with that obtained bythe spaced position of the eyes in viewing the scene. In the present instance. as will be-hereinefter set forth, this spacing may be arranged to accentuate the effect of third dimension, which it is desirable to obtain, and also for the purpose of compensating for conditions produced by photographing a subject near the camera or at a distance from the camera.

right 09. -Tnls shaft yoke if.

set M to the film 69. The shaft 416 is operatively connected to the drive mechanism of the come erohenerelly indicated at it? in the drawings, emi is in syochronism with the film feed mecho hlsm-so thet there will be e definite relationship between the oscillating movement of the score hi g prism 26 one the shutter and camera mecheiiism. The shaft 32 spams the space between the freme uprie'hts it and 2E) and is proviolet at its outer end with o fly wheel do by which the mechanism is helehced. A balancing key 59 may he provided to extend through the one hub of the fly wheel and the shaft 62.-

lfounted on on emerged portion of the shaft 32 occurring between the frame uprights l9 and 20 is a spur seer-6Q which is keyed to the shaft end is in mesh with e seer @i keyed to e stub shaft 552. The shaft 32 is rotetcbly supported in o. hearing 58 formed es s part of the frame upcarries e disc so from the end face of which e pin to of on intermittent moving ll-1i: u projects. The disc end pin sue a port of e Geneva motion. The pin moves into redial grcovesiizl of e. star wheel ill. The ster wheel Ell is rotetebly supportedupcn a short 58. The shaft is carried in hearings end co the rear end front freme' elements 69 end 863 of the frame structure l8. lssocieteu with the stair wheel 5? is e seer til which is secured to move in unison therewith. The star wheel one the gear are provided with anti-friction hearings E32 by which they ore directly supportecl upon the shaft 53. The gear cl is of relatively leree diameter and is in mesh with the drive pinion Bl cerriecl upon at crank theft 86. This shaft is o spur shaft secured in as bearing 65 on the rear frame element 09 of the frame it: Rotetebly secured upon the shaft it is 8 disc 66 which is secured to rotate with the seer 6%. l'he disc 66 is e port of a Scotch yoke mechanism and cerries e, yoke pin ill. This pin is mounted upon a trehsverse plate 6% which slides within e. clove-toiled transverse groove 89 extendins ecross the ciiemetrical end foce of the disc extending vertically and at right angles hath of travel of the yoke 12. The yoke tothe horizontal edges of the yoke l2 V-slmped ribs is which fit into 75 of the zuidewoys l3 and it.

are o med with -B Pfii IQOVGS Then it will he thus causing the yoke 12 to reciprocate on the The elongated slot ii is here shown as is horioontelly reciprocahle between ruideways' l3 and i l one as shown to Hg. 5 of the drawings the guldeways I3 and II, thereby translating rotary movement of the shaft ll into a rectilineal movement ofthe yoke I2. The yoke 12 within which the elongated slot II is formed carries an outwardly Dmlecting lip 11 which conforms to the perimeter of the elongated slot II and provides an opening to receive driving pin 13 carried by the arm 23 of the oscillating member 26. T1115 member was previously described as being mounted upon the horizontal shaft 23.'

the

drawings, the light directing unit has a shaft 4:

which is placed in driving engagement with the shaft 6 of the shutter fl. The light apertures on the shutter are so designed as to insure that while the light directing optical unit 23 is shiftingfrom one position to another thelight beam to the lensset II will be interrupted. The cam-' era is focused in the usual manner with'the light directing unit 23 in the solid line or dotted line position indicated in Fig. 4 of the'drawings. Assuming that the light directing unit 23 and the oscillating member 26 are in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the shutter 41 will be disposed with its light opening ll in a position to permit the passage of light from the light directing optical unit 23 to the lens set II V and thence to -the film 33. As the shaft 42 rotates in the direction of the arrow a, as indicated in Fig.3 of the drawings, the gear 53 will rotate in a similar directionand will drive the gear 5! in the direction of the arrow 17, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This will drive the disc 53 correspondingly and will move the pin 55 into a radial slot 56 of the star wheel 51. The are of travel of the pin 55 and the circumferential spacing of the dial grooves 56 are such as to insure that for each revolution of the disc 53 the star wheel 51 will rotate one-sixth of a revolution, and the pin 33 willpass out of the groove 56 which it has engaged when that particular groove is in a vertically aligned position and tangent to the circular path of travel of the pin. As the star wheel 31 rotates one-sixth of a revolution the gear 3| will be similarly moved. The ratio between the gear SI and thegear 63 is such as to insure that as the gear 3| rotates one-sixth of a revolution the gear 33 will rotate one-half of -a revolution. The gear 33, as previously described, drives the disc 36 and rotates it around the axis of shaft 63.

Previous to the operation of the machine the transverse plate or cross-head 33 has been adjusted to obtain a suitable spacing of the pin 61 with relation to the axis of shaft I and to produce a desired oscillation of the unit 23. As the disc it rotates on its axis the pin 31 will pursue a circular path of travel while projecting into the slotted opening II of the yoke I2. This will cause the 'member I2 to reciprocate along the ways I3 and I4, and since the pin II carried by thelever 23 is also projecting into this slot the lever unit 28 will oscillate around the axis of the horizontal shaft 28. At the end of a stroke of the yoke I2- in either direction the intermittent motion produced by the Geneva movement including the pin 55 and the star wheel 31 will cause the yoke I2 to stand stationary until the opening llwillbeinapositiontopermituninterrupted fiow of light from the light directing 0pm unit 23 to the camera lens unit II. At

suchatimeanexposurewillbemade onthe film 33. It will be assumed that the first exposure is while the light directing optical unit 23 is standing to the left of the perpendicular passing through the optical axis.

A diagram illustrating the action is shown Fig. 8, where the numeral 93 indicates the photographic subject and 23L indicates thelight directing optical unit in its left-hand position while 233. indicates the light directing optical unit in its right-hand position. A light beam SIR travels from the photographic subject 33 to the optical unit 23 when in its right position and a light beam IIL travels from the photographic subject to the optical unit 23 when in its left position. The beam, as illustrated in Fig. 'I of theLdrawings, passes into the scanning prism 24,

from which it is directed into the reflecting prism 25 and strikes the reflecting face 38 thereof. At-

tention is directed to the fact that while the parallel faces 33 and 36 of the two prisms are disposed at an inclination to the horizontal, light from the prism 25 will not be directed into the prism 25 save by reflection, due to the fact that an air space occurs between the two'prisms, the beam 9| after having been bent downwardly and toward the axis of the shaft 28 by the scanning prism 23, is then bent and directed horizontally by the reflecting prism 25 so that it then travels horizontally and along the optical axis of the vjusting screw Ill may be manipulated to shift the cross-bar 68 and move the pin 61 farther away from the shaft 64. This will cause a greater throw of the oscillating unit 28 as it swings on the axis of shaft 20.- Y

It will thus be seen that the arrangement here disclosed provides a simple and compact structure which may be used in combination with any ordinary type of motion picture camera and which will act in a simple and efiective manner to cause right and left-hand views of 65' a photographic subject to be taken in order to produce a film by which the illusion of depth may be created.

While we have shown the preferred form of our invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art. without departing from the spirit of our invention as claimed.

Having thus descrlbedour invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A 'camera for taking "stereoscopic motion pictures, which comprises a film magazine from and into which motion picture film is fed, a feed mechanism for the film, a shutter for interrupting a beam of light to the film, a photographic lens set disposed in advance ofthe shutter, a

light directing optical unit mounted in advance graphic scene being photographed and a'refiectm prism to which the beam of light is directed by the scanning prism and by which the beam of light is directed to the photographic lens set,

' means supporting said pair of prisms to oscillate around an extension of the longitudinal center by the camera driving means whereby the scam ning prism will be shifted to said right and left positions in the interval of non-exposure of the film, and means associated with said operating mechanism for varying and establishing the disright and left of said central vertical plane.

2. In combination with a camera for taking motion pictures, a frame structure disposed in advance of the camera, a drive shaft carried there-= by and disposed in driving relationship to the' operating mechanism of the camera whereby smd shaft will be continuously driven, an oscillating member supported upon said frame to swing in a vertical plane, the axis of said oscillating menu-- her being coincident with the central ems oi the lens set of the camera, an optical unit mounted upon said oscillating member at a point above the oscillating axis whereby said unit may move to either side of the central vertical plane occupied by the axis of oscillation, said optical unit including a scanning prism and a reflecting prism assembledwith their vertical faces parallel, the vertical face of the scanning prism being presented to the object being photographed and the vertical face of the reflecting prism being pre-= sented to the photographic lens set of the camera, said pr having inclined reflecting laces whereby a beam of light entering the was; prism may be reflected on to the reflecting face of the reflecting prism and thence parallel to" it original path of travel and intothe optical lens set, means for alternately oscillating the scanning prism to its right and left=hand positionsand means interposed between the constantly driven shaft and said alternately moving means for intermittently driving the alternately moving means to shift said means from one, position to another.

3.1m combination with a camera for taking motion pictures, a frame structure disposed in advance of the camera, a drive shaft carried thereby and disposed in driving relationship to the operating mechanism of the camera whereby said shaft will be continuously driven, an oscillating member supported upon said frame to scanning prism to its right and lcit=hand positlons, means interposed between the constantly driven shaft and said alternately mo means for intermittently driving the alternately moving means to shift said means from one position to another, and means for adjustably varying the degree of oscillation of the oscillating member.

v- 5 tance of movement of the sea prism to the a swing in a vertical plane, the axis of said osclllating member being, coincident with the central axis of the lens set of the camera, an optical unit mounted upon said oscillating member at a point above the oscillating axis whereby said unit may move to either side oi the central vertical plane occupied by the axis of oscillation, said optical unit including a scanning prism and a reflecting prism assembled with their vertical faces parallel,

the vertical 'face of the scanning prismbeing presented tothe object being photographed and the vertical face orthe reflecting prism being presented to-the photographic lens set or the faces whereby a beam or light entering the scan- W may reflected on tq'the reflecting e. A camera for taking stereoscopic pictures, which comprises a frame structure, a photographic lens set disposed in operative relation thereto, a film feed mechanism for moving a him to positlons with relation to the optical lens set, a rotary shutter intersecting the light beam from the opticalset to the film and having a light opening therein, through which light may pass to the film, a light directing optical unit comp a scanning prism ofiset from the central of the lens set, a reflecting prism disposed in ccoperative relation to the scag prism, whereby a light beam entering the-u 11.1,: p may be reflected to the optical lens set, an oscillating frame carrying said prisms, whereby the reflectlng prism will be in axial alent with the lens set at all times, and the scang'i may swing to right and leit-hd positions, reciprocating means'for oscillating said prism frame, intermittent driving means between the reciproeating means and the shutter, whereby the scan prism may be moved to said rightand left-hand positions in synchronism with the movement of the shutter, and adjustable means for va 'rt. the degree of oscillation of the prism frame, whereby the amount of separation between the rightand left-hand positions of the scam hing p may be determined.

5. A camera for taking stereoscopic motion pictures, comprising a frame structure, a prism lrame mounted for oscillating movement on said frame structure around a, horizontal axis, an op tlcal' unit carried by said prism frame including a reflecting prism mounted centrally of said horiaontal axis and a cooperating scag prism mounted eccentrically of said horizontal axis, said prism frame carrying an arm by which its cscillation may be eflected, means engaging said arm for oscillating the prism frame, intermittent drive means, acting upon said oscillatingmeans to swing the D frame to its extreme positions, whereby the sc posed at the right and leit of the vertical median plane through its oscillating axis, a constantly rotating shaft, gearing between said constantly rots shaft and the intermittent drive means.

a shutter on said shalt, a photographic lens set dd in axial alignment withthe oscillating of the prism frame and through which a be of light may pass to a photographic film as controlled by the shutter, and film teed opersting mechanism" moving in unison with the shutter. V

6. A camera for taking stereoscopic motion pictures, comprising a frame structure, a prism 1 frame mounted tor oscillating movement on said frame structure around a hormonal axis, an ontlcal unit carried by said, prism frame-including a reflecting prism'mounted centrally of said horii rental axis and a cooneratin:

. scanning mounted eccentrlcallyor said horizontal axis, ma

prism frame c camera, said prisms having inclined reflectln'i 7c for oscillating the prism frame, intermittent drive means acting upon said oscillating mm to swing -lens set. means' for 7 an arm bywhlchits oscillotion maybe ellected, means engaging scidarm the prism frame to its extreme positions, where by the prism and left of plane through it gprismwillbediswants-cinema" oscillating axis, a constantly rotating shaft, gearing between said constantly rotating shaft and the intermittent drive means, a shutter on said shaft, a photographic lens set disposed in axial alignment with the oscillating axis of the prism frame and through which a beam of light may pass to a photographic film as controlled by the shutter, film feed operating mechanism moving in' unison with the shutter; and adjustable means associated with the prism frame operating means whereby the degree of oscillation of a prism frame may be set.

- ALBERT 'I. LUER.

DONALD M. PERRY. WARREN HOWELL. WALDO E. HOWELL. 

